Yale notes: Forgetting Atlantic City, ready for Grand Rapids

Yale had a morning skate before its flight to Detroit. Once they get to the Motor City, they'll bus the two hours or so to Grand Rapids and practice there Thursday. A few notes to peruse:

Nick Weberg is finished for the season after suffering a head injury against Cornell on the final weekend of the regular season. Everyone else, as of now, is healthy.

Keith Allain was dismayed with how his team played Friday against Union, but felt the Bulldogs were much better the next day against Quinnipiac. Two goals were reviewed and disallowed, and another puck that went in during the third period was never reviewed. "Friday was an aberration," Allain said.

The ECAC continues to play a consolation game, it's line of thinking that the extra game is advantageous for teams on the bubble in the Pairwise. Yale wasn't hurt by its loss to Quinnipiac, but it was close. Allain doesn't agree with the league. "Useless," he said. "I would certainly vote against it. There are situations where it will help a team get into the tournament. Depending on your situation, playing that game may be your only chance to get into the tournament, so it could be healthy. We've talked about it (at the league meetings), but it's not a debate we have every year."

Sunday was an anxious time. Yale needed Notre Dame to beat Michigan in the CCHA championship. Allain followed the score online while most of the players headed to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the game on TV. All were eager for another opportunity to play. "I think the team's closer than ever. We're ready for this game, and everyone's excited," said defenseman Tommy Fallen. "We need to get the bad taste out of our mouth from last weekend.

It's rare Yale is shutout two games in a row. Minnesota is a fast team that plays an open style, which suits the Bulldogs, but they'll also be facing one of the best goalies in the nation, Adam Wilcox. "We need to find offense in different places," Allain said. "Even when we've gotten it the last few games it's been one line that's produced for us. When you play other teams, and they can key in on certain guys, it makes it tougher. What we really have to do is get other guys going."

Yale's line of Andrew Miller, Jesse Root and Kenny Agostino has been its most productive. When Antoine Laganiere is on his game, things tend to go much better for the Bulldogs. But Lags has been lagging. Since Jan. 18-19, when he dominated a sweep of Harvard and Dartmouth, he has been held pointless in 12 of 15 games, his lone goals in that span coming in each victory over St. Lawrence in the ECAC quarterfinals.

Friday's game will be televised on ESPNU. But for those who can't watch the broadcast, Yale students Konrad Coutinho and Evan Frondorf will be in Grand Rapids to call the game for WYBC-1340.

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About Me

Chip has covered Yale and Quinnipiac hockey for the New Haven Register since 1999. His book "Hockey Haven: How Yale and Quinnipiac reached the top of the college game" chronicles the rise of both programs and their magical run to the 2013 national championship game.
He has also served as beat writer for UConn and Yale football and covered Major League Baseball, the NFL, NBA and NHL for multiple publications.